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 Assessment Plan 2015-2022
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Program and degrees offeredCommunication and Journalism
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Program assessed in this reportCommunication, Journalism
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Department Chair/Program CoordinatorJudith Rosenbaum
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Form Completed byJudith Rosenbaum
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Academic Year2021-2022
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URL for published learning outcomes
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Outcome(s) Examined:Data/Evidence:
Evaluation Process:
Results & ReflectionRecommendations & PlanningImpactsProgram Specific Information
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Which program student learning outcome(s) was assessed during this reporting period?Other than grades, what data/evidence* were used to determine that students have achieved the stated outcome(s) for the degree? Direct evidence is required; indirect evidence is optional. Provide: •type of data/evidence* •sample (include # of students sampled, which semesters, where in curriculum the outcome was assessed (in course(s), section(s) or a program requirement)What method(s) or process(es) were used to evaluate student work?
Provide:
evaluation instrument
expected level of student achivement of the outcome
who applied the evaluation tool
who interpreted the results of the assessment process		What were the results of the analysis of the assessment data? Provide:
quantitative results, including a comparison of expected level of student achievement to actual level of student achievement
analysis of the results including the identification of patterns of weakness or strength
reflection and conclusions		Are there recommendations for change based on the results?
Provide:
recommendations for change(s) planned
timeline for program to implement the change(s)
timeline for program to assess the impact of the change(s)		What impacts have you observed in response to the changes made? Are there unintended consequences? Were the changes successful? (Note: this box is completed after changes are implemented.)Notes about CMJ plan to identify learning outcomes based on an analysis of capstone projects.
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Communication: 1) Learning Outcome 1 - Students are able, individually or in teams, to produce novice research projects about communication in at least one tradition of Communication research; Learning Outcome 2 - Students are able to use one or more theories of communication (from social science, rhetoric, or critical/cultural) to explain and/or interpret human behavior. Coursework in CMJ 401, one of the com capstone courses, CMJ 202, one of the foundational theory courses, and CMJ 402, the communication research course was analyzed. In CMJ 401, the professor analyzed the final paper written by the 11 students in the course. In CMJ 202, the professor analyzed the team literature review essay written by the 53 students enrolled in the course. In CMJ 402, the professor analyzed the final research poster created by the 22 students enrolled in the course. The assessment took place in spring 2022. The instructors of the three courses conducted the assessment. They utilized the learning outcomes and their various levels to assess the papers and presentations. Learning Outcome 1 - Students are able, individually or in teams, to produce novice research projects about communication in at least one tradition of Communication research. Levels: 4) (senior): Identifies an object of study and/or question, has selected a coherent approach; overall argument is clear and reflects on the project’s significance; 3) (junior): Identifies an object of study and/or question, has selected a coherent approach; overall argument is clear but does not reflect on the project’s significance; 2) (sophomore): Identifies an object of study and/or question and has selected a coherent approach; overall argument is unclear; 1) (first year): Identifies an object of study but lacks coherent approach for analysis; overall argument is unclear.
Results:
Level 4 = 5
Level 3 = 2
Level 2 = 2
Level 1 = 2

LO 1 Discussion: The language of “coherent approach” is vague and hard to pin down (consider making this more particular). Similarly, “overall argument” will look different depending on the course and assignment so additional specificity there can help. Finally, “project’s significance” is also needing more precision as students can simply point to something as important, like a social movement, rather than what their analysis of/findings about that social movement being significant.

Learning Outcome 2 - Students are able to use one or more theories of communication (from social science, rhetoric, or critical/cultural) to explain and/or interpret human behavior.
Levels - 4 level (senior): Can name a specific theory or theories; can
identify phenomena to apply the theory to, can address the relative power of theory to explain phenomena; can reflect on the relevance of the theory in the context of its application.
3 level (junior): Can name a specific theory or theories; can
identify phenomena to apply the theory to and can address the relative power of theory to explain phenomena.
2 level (sophomore): Can name a specific theory or theories and can
identify phenomena to apply the theory to.
1 level (first year): Can name a specific theory or theories but can only
restate or define them.

Results for CMJ 202: Level 4 = 10 (~ 19. 5 %)
Level 3 = 14 ( ~ 26 %)
Level 2 = 24 (~ 45 %)
Level 1 = 5 ( ~ 9.5 %).

Results for CMJ 402: Results: 22 students, mix of seniors and juniors
Level 4 = 8
Level 3 = 6
Level 2 = 5
Level 1 = 3




Comm has two goals:
1) Learning outcome 1 needs to be further refined. This will be addressed in the next academic year (2022-2023).
2) Learning outcome 2 appears to measure students' progress in 202 very well (the majority of students score in level 2 and 3, right where they are expected to score at that point in their career), but it does not appear to do as well in 402 (with students still scoring at levels 1 and 2). This indicates that it might be helpful to assess student performance in some of the 300-level courses to see if that is where the progression is halting).
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Journalism: 1) Students are able to demonstrate complex, detailed, and critical thinking about journalism as both a cultural practice and professional endeavorThe final papers written by students in the journalism capstone course were analyzed. A total of ten students' work as included. The work was carried out in the spring of 2022. The instructor of the class conducted the assessment. They utilized the learning outcomes and their various levels to assess the papers and presentations. Learning Outcome: Students are able to demonstrate complex, detailed, and critical thinking about journalism as both a cultural practice and professional endeavor. This level of understanding is evidenced by an ability to apply journalistic ethics properly, to reflect upon and consider the diversity of journalistic cultures, and to consider such issues in contemporary journalistic practice as: the problems inherent in objectivity as a professional norm, issues in racial representation, and conflicts of interest.
Levels of evaluation:
3. Demonstrated ability to think critically and describe accurately and effectively the ethical and moral dilemmas inherent in the practice of American journalism.
2. Demonstrated understanding of the importance of journalistic standards and how they might be applied to various dilemmas and difficult situations in practice.
1. Demonstrated familiarity with problems in American journalism, and the ability to describe them.
Results
Level 3: 3
Level 2: 6
Level 1: 1

In the next academic year, journalism will analyze CMJ 136, CMJ 237, and some of the 300-level courses to see where student progression stagnates. This was originally the plan for this year, but the instructor teaching these courses went on FMLA during the spring semester. This should be doable next year and will provide insight into the why the majority of the seniors still only scored at a level 2.
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Media studies: 1) Students are able to accurately describe, differentiate, connect and utilize multiple existing media-centered theories to critically analyze contemporary media issues; 2) Innovation in research: Able to describe an innovative research question that addresses a gap in existing literature and/or a real-world problem; propose a solution in the form of appropriate theories and methodologies; 3) The ability to find, synthesize, and properly cite a variety of relevant, peer-reviewed sources to make an original argument. The assessment included the analysis of the final papers written by the students in the media studies capstone course. A total of ten students' work was included. The work was carried out in the spring of 2022. The instructor of the class conducted the assessment. They utilized the learning outcomes and their various levels to assess the papers and presentations. LO 1: Students are able to accurately describe, differentiate, connect and utilize multiple existing media-centered theories to critically analyze contemporary media issues.
Level 4 (senior): Accurately describe, differentiates, connects and utilizes multiple existing media-centered theories to critically analyze contemporary media issues
Level 3 (junior): Able to accurately describe and differentiate multiple theories and apply them to an existing media issue
Level 2 (sophomore): Able to accurately name and describe at least one media-centered theory and apply to a particular media issue.
Level 1 (first year): Describe ongoing issues faced by producers and consumers of media.
Results:
Level 1: 0
Level 2: 1
Level 3: 1
Level 4: 8

LO 2: Innovation in research: Able to describe an innovative research question that addresses a gap in existing literature and/or a real-world problem; propose a solution in the form of appropriate theories and methodologies.
Level 4 (senior): Able to formulate an innovative and feasible research question and discuss how this question addresses a gap in existing literature and/or a real-world problem; propose a solution in the form of appropriate theories and methodologies.
Level 3 (junior): Able to formulate a feasible research question and argue how this fits into existing literature; propose a solution that may contain some references to methodologies and theories.
Level 2 (Sophomore): Able to formulate a research question and describe what is known about this topic in existing peer-reviewed literature. Identify possible ways to answer the research question.
Level 1 (First year): Express an interest in a particular area of media studies, able to locate relevant peer-reviewed literature.
Results:
Level 1: 0
Level 2: 0
Level 3: 3
Level 4: 7

LO 3: The ability to find, synthesize, and properly cite a variety of relevant, peer-reviewed sources to make an original argument. 
Level 4: (senior): Is able to find, synthesize, and properly cite a variety of relevant peer-reviewed sources to make an original argument. 
Level 3 (junior): Is able to find relevant peer-reviewed sources. Knows how to properly credit the sources. Communicates, organizes and provides surface-level synthesis of information from discipline-specific sources, representing various views and approaches. Connections made among various sources are generally broad, but depth can be further developed. Some aspects of the argument are original.
Level 2 (sophomore): Is able to find some peer-reviewed sources, not all of which may be relevant. Sources are mostly credited appropriately. The information is presented in a fragmented manner, not yet synthesized and limited points of view/approaches are represented. No original argument is made. 
Level 1 (first year): Is able to find some sources, some peer-reviewed, not all of which may be relevant. Credits sources in some way. The information is fragmented and/or used inappropriately (misquoted, taken out of context, or incorrectly paraphrased, etc.). Limited points of view/approaches are represented.
Results:
Level 1: 0
Level 2: 0
Level 3: 5
Level 4: 5








Media studies: The LO where students are least likely to score in level 3 or 4 is LO 3. This topic (the ability to find, synthesize, and cite sources) is first introduced in CMJ 203, a course students take in their second year. This course will be included in next year's assessment cycle.
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